A comment on 'Accurate spin axes and solar system dynamics'

In a recent paper, Edvardsson etal (2002) propose a new solution for the spin evolution of the Earth and Mars. Their results differ significantly with respect to previous studies, as they found a large contribution on the precession of the planet axis from the tidal effects of Phobos and Deimos. In fact, this probably results from the omission by the authors of the torques exerted on the satellites orbits by the planet's equatorial bulge, as otherwise the average torque exerted by the satellites on the planet is null.Comment: november 19, 200

Electroweak Fermion-loop Contributions to the Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment

The two-loop electroweak corrections to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, generated by fermionic loops, are calculated. An interesting role of the top quark in the anomaly cancellation is observed. New corrections, including terms of order $G_\mu \alpha m_t^2$, are computed and a class of diagrams previously thought to vanish are found to be important. The total fermionic correction is $-(23\pm 3) \times 10^{-11}$ which decreases the electroweak effects on $g-2$, predicted from one-loop calculations, by 12\%. We give an updated theoretical prediction for $g-2$ of the muon.Comment: Corrected versio

Accurate free and forced rotational motions of rigid Venus

% context :The precise and accurate modelling of a terrestrial planet like Venus is an exciting and challenging topic, all the more interesting since it can be compared with that of the Earth for which such a modelling has already been achieved at the milliarcsecond level % aims: We want to complete a previous study (Cottereau and Souchay, 2009), by determining at the milliarcsecond level the polhody, i.e. the torque-free motion of the axis of angular momentum of a rigid Venus in a body-fixed frame, as well as the nutation of its third axis of figure in space, which is fundamental from an observational point of view. results :In a first part we have computed the polhody, i.e. the respective free rotational motion of the axis of angular momentum of Venus with respect to a body-fixed frame. We have shown that this motion is highly elliptical, with a very long period of 525 cy to be compared with 430 d for the Earth. This is due to the very small dynamical flattening of Venus in comparison with our planet. In a second part we have computed precisely the Oppolzer terms which allow to represent the motion in space of the third Venus figure axis with respect to Venus angular momentum axis, under the influence of the solar gravitational torque. We have determined the corresponding tables of coefficients of nutation of the third figure axis both in longitude and in obliquity due to the Sun, which are of the same order of amplitude as for the Earth. We have shown that the coefficients of nutation for the third figure axis are significantly different from those of the angular momentum axis on the contrary of the Earth. Our analytical results have been validated by a numerical integration which revealed the indirect planetary effects.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in section 11. Celestial mechanics and astrometry of Astronomy and Astrophysics (27/02/2010

Effective low-dimensional Hamiltonian for strongly interacting atoms in a transverse trap

We derive an effective low-dimensional Hamiltonian for strongly interacting ultracold atoms in a transverse trapping potential near a wide Feshbach resonance. The Hamiltonian includes crucial information about transverse excitations in an effective model with renormalized interaction between atoms and composite dressed molecules. We fix all the parameters in the Hamiltonian for both one- and two-dimensional cases.Comment: v2: 5 pages, 1 figure; expanded presentation of the formalis

On the Hadronic Contribution to Light-by-light Scattering in gμ−2g_\mu-2

We comment on the theoretical uncertainties involved in estimating the hadronic effects on the light-by-light scattering contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, especially based on the analysis and results of T. Kinoshita, B. Ni\v zi\'c, and Y. Okamoto, Phys.\ Rev.\ D31, 2108 (1985). From the point of view of an effective field theory and chiral perturbation theory, we suggest that the charged pion contribution may be better determined than has been appreciated. However, the neutral pion contribution needs greater theoretical insight before its magnitude can be reliably estimated.Comment: 9 pages, no figures, U. Michigan UM-TH-93-18. (Input phyzzm to compile.) Revised version has minor changes in text. To be published in Phys. Rev. D, Comments sectio

Precise mass-dependent QED contributions to leptonic g-2 at order alpha^2 and alpha^3

Improved values for the two- and three-loop mass-dependent QED contributions to the anomalous magnetic moments of the electron, muon, and tau lepton are presented. The Standard Model prediction for the electron (g-2) is compared with its most precise recent measurement, providing a value of the fine-structure constant in agreement with a recently published determination. For the tau lepton, differences with previously published results are found and discussed. An updated value of the fine-structure constant is presented in "Note added after publication."Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. v2: New determination of alpha presented (based on the recent electron g-2 measurement). v3: New formulae added in Sec.IIB. v4: Updated value of alpha presente

Improved α4\alpha^4 Term of the Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment

We have completed the evaluation of all mass-dependent $\alpha^4$ QED contributions to the muon $g-2$, or $a_\mu$, in two or more different formulations. Their numerical values have been greatly improved by an extensive computer calculation. The new value of the dominant $\alpha^4$ term $A_2^{(8)} (m_\mu / m_e)$ is 132.6823 (72), which supersedes the old value 127.50 (41). The new value of the three-mass term $A_3^{(8)} (m_\mu / m_e, m_\mu / m_\tau)$ is 0.0376 (1). The term $A_2^{(8)} (m_\mu / m_\tau)$ is crudely estimated to be about 0.005 and may be ignored for now. The total QED contribution to $a_\mu$ is $116 584 719.58 (0.02)(1.15)(0.85) \times 10^{-11}$, where 0.02 and 1.15 are uncertainties in the $\alpha^4$ and $\alpha^5$ terms and 0.85 is from the uncertainty in $\alpha$ measured by atom interferometry. This raises the Standard Model prediction by $13.9 \times 10^{-11}$, or about 1/5 of the measurement uncertainty of $a_\mu$. It is within the noise of current uncertainty ($\sim 100 \times 10^{-11}$) in the estimated hadronic contributions to $a_\mu$.Comment: Appendix A has been rewritten extensively. It includes the 4th-order calculation for illustration. Version accepted by PR

Improved α4\alpha^4 Term of the Electron Anomalous Magnetic Moment

We report a new value of electron $g-2$, or $a_e$, from 891 Feynman diagrams of order $\alpha^4$. The FORTRAN codes of 373 diagrams containing closed electron loops have been verified by at least two independent formulations. For the remaining 518 diagrams, which have no closed lepton loop, verification by a second formulation is not yet attempted because of the enormous amount of additional work required. However, these integrals have structures that allow extensive cross-checking as well as detailed comparison with lower-order diagrams through the renormalization procedure. No algebraic error has been uncovered for them. The numerical evaluation of the entire $\alpha^4$ term by the integration routine VEGAS gives $-1.7283 (35) (\alpha/\pi)^4$, where the uncertainty is obtained by careful examination of error estimates by VEGAS. This leads to $a_e = 1 159 652 175.86 (0.10) (0.26) (8.48) \times 10^{-12}$, where the uncertainties come from the $\alpha^4$ term, the estimated uncertainty of $\alpha^5$ term, and the inverse fine structure constant, $\alpha^{-1} = 137.036 000 3 (10)$, measured by atom interferometry combined with a frequency comb technique, respectively. The inverse fine structure constant $\alpha^{-1} (a_e)$ derived from the theory and the Seattle measurement of $a_e$ is $137.035 998 83 (51)$.Comment: 64 pages and 10 figures. Eq.(16) is corrected. Comments are added after Eq.(40

RAVEN: a GUI and an Artificial Intelligence Engine in a Dynamic PRA Framework

Increases in computational power and pressure for more accurate simulations and estimations of accident scenario consequences are driving the need for Dynamic Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) [1] of very complex models. While more sophisticated algorithms and computational power address the back end of this challenge, the front end is still handled by engineers that need to extract meaningful information from the large amount of data and build these complex models. Compounding this problem is the difficulty in knowledge transfer and retention, and the increasing speed of software development. The above-described issues would have negatively impacted deployment of the new high fidelity plant simulator RELAP-7 (Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program) at Idaho National Laboratory. Therefore, RAVEN that was initially focused to be the plant controller for RELAP-7 will help mitigate future RELAP-7 software engineering risks. In order to accomplish such a task Reactor Analysis and V

Genetic and Structural Analyses of Cytoplasmic Filaments of Wild-Type Treponema phagedenis and a Flagellar Filament-Deficient Mutant

Unique cytoplasmic filaments are found in the treponeme genus of spirochete bacteria. Their function is unknown, but their location underneath the periplasmic flagellar filaments (PFF) suggests a role in motility and/or cell structure. To better understand these unique structures, the gene coding for the cytoplasmic filaments, cfpA, was identified in various treponemal species. Treponema phagedenis cfpA was 2,037 nucleotides long, and the encoded polypeptide showed 78 to 100% amino acid sequence identity with the partial sequence of CfpA from T. denticola, T. vincentii, and T. pallidum subsp. pertenue. Wild-type T. phagedenis and a PFF-deficient isolate were analyzed by electron microscopy to assess the structural relationship of the cytoplasmic filaments and the PFF. The number of cytoplasmic filaments per cell of T. phagedenis (mean, 5.7) was compared with the number of PFF at each end of the cell (mean, 4.7); the results suggest that there is no direct one-to-one correlation at the cell end. Moreover, a structural link between these structures could not be demonstrated. The cytoplasmic filaments were also analyzed by electron microscopy at different stages of cell growth; this analysis revealed that they are cleaved before or during septum formation and before the nascent formation of PFF. A PFF-deficient mutant of T. phagedenis possessed cytoplasmic filaments similar to those of the wild type, suggesting that intact PFF are not required for their assembly and regulation. The extensive conservation of CfpA among pathogenic spirochetes suggests an important function, and structural analysis suggests that it is unlikely that the cytoplasmic filaments and the flagellar apparatus are physically linked